Headlight



May 7, 1929. H. L.. GAUGHAN HEADLIGHT Filed DeG. 1'7. 1925 gvvuento@ wry' atroz vta-194 Patented .ll/lay 7, 19529..

HENRY LEWIS GAUG-HAN, OF HAMILTON, OHIO.

HEADLIGHT.

Application leLl December 17, 19.25. Serial No. YG,O17.

The present invention relates to headlights for automobiles and the like.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to Yprovide a headlight so constructed and arranged as to eliminate the glare from thelighting element, so that the beam of light projected from the headlight will not blind drivers of automobiles and pedestrians y approaching in the opposite direction.

vided with fastening means 11 by which theV headlight be fastened to a vehicle.

Mounted Within the casing 10 is a reflector element 15. The lighting element or light source is indicated at 16 and may be of any usual form such as an incandescent lamp. The lighting element is positioned in the upper part of the reflector element and that portion of the latter which is below the horizontal plane passing through the light source is given a shape resembling generally the half of a paraboloid, although it will be under- Vstood that this portion of the reflector mayv beof any other suitable shape. Above the horizontal plane of the light source the reflector element is formed to provide a dome 17 the forward part of Which comes down as at 18 to substantially the horizontal plane of the light source in yorder to intercept the direct rays of the light source above the horizontal plane and prevent glare from the direct rays of the light source. rlhe dome portion of the reflector element is preferably polished internally so as to reflect the rays above the horizontal plane of the light source downwardly to the ground and to the paraboloid portion of the reflector Which in turn reflects the light forwardly to produce the desired illumination.

l have discovered that a glare may come from that portionv of the reliector element which is immediately back and to the rear of the lighting element 16, and I have therefore provided what is termed a blind spot in the reflector element to prevent glare from this part of the reflector element. In the preferred construction the blind spot is produced by cutting avvay a part of the reflector element so as to provide an opening 22 incapable of refiecting, but it should be understood that the blind spot may be produced in any other suitable manner as, for example, by modifying the character of this part the reflector surface, the requirement being merely that no glare shall be produced from this area of the reflector. y v

The upper forward part of the reliector element may be turned outwardly as at 19 so as to form with the remainder of the reflector clement a circular attaching edge by which the reflector element may be secured in position Within the casing 10. I

The source of light or lighting element 1G may be supported in any convenient manner. ln the construction illustrated l take advantage of the opening formed by the blind spot 22 to project therethrough the lsocket or support 2O for the lighting element, such socket being mounted upon a lip 21 inturned from or otherwise secured to the casing 10. lt is apparentthat the socket for the lighting element need not project through the blind spot but may be passed through the Wall of the dome portion 17 of the reflector element.

-F rom the foregoing it Will be apparent that' the present invention utilizes nearly all of `Ythe light radiating from the light source to produce a beam of light. The refiector elcment is preferably so formed as to illuminate the roadway far in advance of the vehicle Without producing upward glare, that is,- Without proj ecting substantially any light above a horizontal plane passing through the region of the light source, and at the same time to produce a distributed illumination of the intermediate portion of the roadway. It

should bc understood that the Words horizontal, tipp/ard, and other Words indicating direction, as used in the specification and claims are not used in a limiting sense but merely for convenience in referring to locations and directions relative to the headlight.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein Without departing from the scope of the invention Which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A headlight comprising a casing, a light O ai .l "Y 1,712,3oo

source, a reflector member mounted within said casing, said reflector member comprising a downwardly and forwardly extending reflecting portion below the light source, and upwardly and forwardly curved portion above the light source, and a depending and rearwardly reflecting portion in advance of the light source to interceptl the direct rays of light radiating forwardly and above the horizontal plane of the light Source, an inturned lip portion connected with said easing, amounting for said light source carried by said lip portion, and a blind spot in Said reflecting member located below and to the rear of Said light source, said blind spot being 'an' opening in the reflector member receiving the mounting for Said light source.

2. A headlight comprising a light Source, a reflector member for said light Source, Said reflector member including a downwardly and forwardly extending reflecting portion belowV the light source7 an upwardly and forwardly curved reflecting portion above the vlight source, and a depending reflecting portion in advance of the light eonrce for intercepting the direct rays of light radiating for-- wardly and above the horizontal plane of the light source, said reflecting portion above the light Source and Said depending portion in advance of the light source serving to reflect the rays of light radiating above the 'horizontal plane of the light Source downwardly to the ground. to increase the illumination of the headlight, and a blind spot in said downwardly and forwardly extending reflecting portion below and to the rear of Said source of light for preventingglare from said refleeting surface, the upper extremity of said blind spot being located snbstantially'adjacent the horizontal plane of the light source, whereby the reflecting portion above the horizontal plane of the light source remains effective to increase the illumination of the headlight.

3. A headlight comprising alight source, a mounting therefor, a reflector member for Said light source, said reflector member including a downwardly and forwardly eX- tending reflecting portion below the light source, an upwardly and forwardly curved reflecting portion above the light source, and a depending reflecting portion in advance of the vlight Source for inte cepting the direct rays of light radiating forwardly andabove the horizontal planel of the light source, said reflecting portion above the Vlight, source land said depending portion in advance of the light source serving to reflectthe rays of light radiating` above the horizontal plane of the light source downwardly to the ground'to lin-l crease the illumination of the headlight, and a blind spot in said downwardly and forwardly entending reflecting portion below and to the rear of said source of'light for pre venting glare from said reflecting surface, the upper extremity of Said blindspot being located Substantially adjacent the horizontal pla ne ofthe light Source7 whereby the reflecting portion above the horizontal plane ofthe light Source remains effective to increase the .illumination of the headlight, said blind spot being an opening in the reflector adapted to receive said mounting for the light source.V In testimony whereof I hereto afix my signature.

HENRY LEWIS GrAUQlHAN.A 

